Please click on the tab above titled "DISCUSSION". From there, click on the title of the book that you are responding to. If you are not currently reading and responding to an award book, post your response under "OTHER". Feel free to form a discussion with your classmates about the books.
REMEMBER TO READ AT LEAST 60 MINUTES EVERY WEEK IN YOUR SSR BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LAST WIKI!!!!!! Week of May 2-6: While you read, pay attention to the settings in your story. What are two settings that impact the plot or a character? Support your ideas with text evidence.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: AT LEAST four sentences with all ideas supported by text evidence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of April 25-29: While you read, pay attention to the protagonist in your story. What are two characteristics that define the main character? Support your ideas with text evidence. In your concluding sentence, explain how these characteristics help your character solve problems.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: AT LEAST four sentences with all ideas supported by text evidence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of April 18-22: While you read, pay attention to the point of view from which the story is told. What point of view is your story told from? Choose a character to tell a main idea in the story. How would this difference affect the plot?
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: AT LEAST four sentences explaining the point of view and how the plot would change.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
April 11-17: NO WIKI BECAUSE OF MAP TESTING!
April 4-10: NO WIKI BECAUSE OF SPEECH!
March 28-April 1
DIRECTIONS: Write a 3 sentence summary over your reading. USE YOUR NOTES FOR HELP!!!!!
I will grade you on following:
1. Sentence 1:
- Person- 1 point
- Place- 1 point
- Problem- 1 point
2. Sentence 2:
- How the character attempts to solve the problem OR how the character begins to notice change.- 1 point
3. Sentence 3:
- How the problem was solved OR how the character changed.- 1 point
4. OTHER
- Logical Flow- 1 point
- Conventions; spelling- 1 point
Week of March 14-18: Read the article at the bottom of this assignment post. Summarize in THREE sentences the main ideas of the article. Make sure to include the author's viewpoint in your topic sentence.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: Three sentences explaining the person, place, problem and author's viewpoint. How was the problem solved and was it effective? DON'T USE SPECIFIC TEXT EVIDENCE IN A SUMMARY!
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
• Many malls that have adopted teen curfews point to higher sales as proof of success.
The Borders at Mid Rivers Mall used to be crawling with teenagers on Friday nights - teens playing in the elevators, hanging out on the staircase, and sometimes even making out in nooks and crannies throughout the bookstore.
"You would have really gotten the impression that we were busy with sales, but that was not the case," said Brendan Cody, the store manager. "We were busy with people in terms of traffic, but it was lots of people playing with friends and not really spending money."
But that suddenly changed on May 28, when the mall implemented a youth escort policy. Since then, Friday nights in the store have become much quieter and calmer - and sales have actually inched up. While there may be fewer people in the store now, the ones who are there are actually buying, he added.
It's hard to pinpoint how much the teen curfew contributed to increased sales, Cody acknowledged. But he remembers a lot of complaints from customers who said they wouldn't shop there on weekend nights because of the rowdiness and profanity of some teenagers.
It may seem that shopping centers would be hurting themselves by banning unescorted teenagers on weekend nights. After all, the central corridors of malls are lined with stores - Aeropostale, Pacific Sunwear, Hot Topic, Hollister, and Abercrombie & Fitch - that cater to this age group.
But in the last 10 to 15 years, a small but growing number of malls around the country have begun to institute teen curfews to crack down on unruly groups of teens that deter families from shopping.
Curfews are potentially risky for malls at a time when they are struggling, and with weekends being the busiest shopping times. But many malls that have gone to the curfews say they are pleased by the results - and point to higher sales numbers as proof of success.
The International Council of Shopping Centers has identified 64 out of 1,417 shopping malls that have youth escort policies. "Initially they may see a dip (in sales), but then it comes back," said Jesse Tron, a council spokesman. "I've heard others say that right away it's been a boon to sales."
Mid Rivers in St. Peters is the fourth mall in the St. Louis region to institute a youth escort policy. Since May 28, teenagers under the age of 18 have to be with a parent or adult to be in Mid Rivers past 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Mall officials assert the new policy is having an immediate impact on visitors, with many retailers already seeing a lift in sales numbers.
In June, the first full month under the curfew, overall mall traffic was up 7 percent from the previous June - and up 5 percent on Friday and Saturday nights. And sales are up 3 to 10 percent in all categories, including teen-oriented retailers, according to CBL & Associates Properties, the company that owns Mid Rivers.
By comparison, mall traffic in May went up just 1 percent over the previous year and sales were flat. And nationally, U.S. chain stores posted a 3 percent year-over-year gain in same-store sales in June, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.
"There could be other factors" contributing to the positive June numbers, said Kurt Bohlmann, the general manager for Mid Rivers. "But just comparing last year to this year, it definitely stands out to us that traffic and sales are up following the implementation of youth escort policy."
CBL also owns West County Center, St. Clair Square, South County Center and Chesterfield malls. It has no plans to implement youth escort policies in those local shopping centers because rowdy teens haven't been an issue at those locations.
Other Malls Benefit
St. Louis Mills was the first mall in the region to go the curfew route in November 2006. St. Louis Galleria and Jamestown Mall followed suit the next year.
When St. Louis Mills decided to implement the policy, David Reed, the mall's general manager, told merchants they might experience a temporary sales decline. "But we found an immediate increase in sales," Reed said. "It was a little surprising that the majority of teen retailers immediately saw an increase, too."
Reed's explanation is that the more comfortable shopping environment drew more shoppers to the mall who might have otherwise been hesitant to come out on weekend nights. Teens are still welcome during most of the week, or if they come with their parents, he added.
"Teens have a lot of disposable income," Reed said. "So do their parents. If you're here shopping with your parents, that can increase your purchases."
But Robert Buchanan, assistant professor of finance at St. Louis University, is skeptical that teen curfews are good for sales in the long run.
"To suggest that it increases business sounds like a stretch to me," he said. "You have to be very careful in looking at sales numbers and making sure you're comparing apples to apples. There could be a million reasons why. It could be the weather."
Malls are hurting for business because their rent structure is high and retailers are passing along those costs to shoppers in the form of high prices, he said.
"So they really have to be careful in putting into effect a new restrictive policy like a curfew," Buchanan said. "I think there's a reason why the vast majority of malls in the United States don't have a teen curfew and it's because they don't want to discourage business. "
Teen-focused retailers are not complaining about the curfews - at least not yet.
"Curfews have not affected us - positive or negative," Betsy McLaughlin, the chief executive of Hot Topic, wrote in an e-mail. "So we are neutral on the subject."
And a spokesperson for clothing chain American Eagle Outfitters said the company does not have a strong position for or against curfews.
Plan Nine, a skateboard shop at Mid Rivers Mall, used to be a popular teen hangout on Friday nights. "A lot of kids are like, 'You're probably going out of business because of the curfew,'" said Tim Newsham, a manager who was working a recent Friday night when the store was mostly empty. "But it's like, 'Um, not really.'"
Sales have not been affected by the new policy, he said. If anything has changed, it's that the store is doing more business during the day, which makes up for the lighter sales at night, he said.
Before the curfew, even though there would sometimes be 30 teenagers in the store at night, only a couple of them would end up buying something.
"And sometimes all they would get is a Red Bull," Newsham said.
Not all merchants are happy. Keith Foy, who has a cell phone skin kiosk in the mall, hasn't calculated how his sales have been affected by the curfew. But he doesn't like it.
Teenagers wouldn't necessarily buy his wares on weekend nights, but they would sometimes come back with their parents the following week to make a purchase, he said.
And he complains that the curfew age is set too high. Many 16- and 17-year-olds "have jobs and they have money to spend," he said.
To lure families back to the mall on weekend nights, Mid Rivers has been running various promotions, including one that allows children to eat free on Friday nights at some food court outlets if their parents buy certain food items.
That drew Tonya and Scott Service of St. Peters and two of their children to the mall. They used to avoid the mall on weekend nights, she said, especially after hearing teenagers cursing loudly in stores on previous visits. "My kids would say, 'Mom, did you hear that?'" she said.
She and her family planned to look around some stores while they were there. Pleased by the new atmosphere in the mall, they were already making plans for a return visit another night.
Week of March 7-11: Read the article attached at the bottom of this assignment post. What are the two differing viewpoints on a drug that can erase memories? SUPPORT your answer with TWO pieces of text evidence (ONE for each side). THEN, what do you think? Support your stance with TWO pieces of text evidence. Your post this week should be TWO PARAGRAPHS.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining authors' viewpoint on the issue, two pieces of text evidence SUPPORTING EACH of the authors' viewpoint, and a concluding sentence. THEN a SEPARATE paragraph with a topic sentence explaining your position, two sentences with text evidence supporting your viewpoint, and a concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of February 28-March 4: Read the article at the bottom of this assignment post. Then, answer the following question. What is the author's viewpoint on elephant rides? SUPPORT your answer with TWO pieces of text evidence.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the problem and the author's viewpoint on the issue, two pieces of text evidence SUPPORTING the author's viewpoint, and a concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how this viewpoint is biased.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
It's a Santa Ana tradition, but PETA wants the practice stopped
By Tony Barboza
The Santa Ana Zoo is one of only a handful in the nation that still offer elephant rides.
For more than 25 years, children -- and some grown-ups -- have turned out by the hundreds to ride on the back of an 8,000-pound Asian elephant as it trudges around a shaded, circular enclosure near its Monkey Row exhibit.
Although others have bowed to pressure from animal welfare advocates who oppose once-popular elephant rides as cruel to the animals and dangerous to the public, zookeepers in Santa Ana are rushing to their defense.
Animal activists set their sights on the zoo last year and have intensified their opposition since the ride opened for the season last month. Since Oct. 8, they have picketed outside the city zoo on weekends and urged visitors to boycott the old-school attraction.
Last week, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals raised the stakes by enlisting stage performer Charo, who wrote to Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, asking him to ban the rides.
The group contends that the rides are not possible without cruel training methods.
"I have spent my career entertaining people, but there is nothing remotely entertaining about hurting elephants," Charo wrote.
Zoo Director Kent Yamaguchi brushed aside activists' claims that the rides are abusive or unsafe and said they will continue because he is confident the animals are well cared for and that care-givers use the strictest safety guidelines and most humane training methods.
If there were any evidence of mistreatment, he said, he would end the rides immediately.
Besides, he said, the rides are such an educational experience that once riders step down from the creatures' massive shoulders, they often become their biggest admirers and advocates.
"You can't ride these animals without being struck by their power and their majesty," Yamaguchi said. "The main reason we have the ride is to educate people about what these animals are all about ... and that's why zoos are around: to be able to give people that close relationship with the animals."
The small zoo's stance on the rides makes it a rare holdout at a time when most zoos shun human-elephant interaction.
The San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, for instance, did away with its elephant rides in 1990, when it adopted a "protected contact" training method that bars anyone -- even zookeepers -- from being in the same enclosure as an elephant.
The Los Angeles Zoo, which eliminated elephant rides more than 20 years ago, follows the same policy, as does the Oakland Zoo.
The Santa Ana Zoo, perhaps best known for its mandate to house at least 50 monkeys at all times, doesn't have its own live-in elephants.
Instead, it hires them from Have Trunk Will Travel, a Perris-based operation whose trained elephants are rented out for fairs and corporate parties and appear in television commercials and films.
The $5 ride is offered on weekends from October to May, when the elephants are on their off-season from giving rides on the busy county fair circuit.
Opponents say the ride exploits the elephants, puts visitors at risk of being trampled and clashes with the zoo's mission of animal care and conservation.
"By providing elephant rides, the Santa Ana Zoo is acting more like a circus than an accredited zoo," said Lisa Wathne, PETA's captive exotic animal specialist.
Elephants submit to being ridden, Wathne said, only because of the threat of being prodded with a bull hook, a training tool she likens to a fireplace poker.
Yamaguchi says carrying passengers is healthy exercise and mental stimulation for the elephants. "It's like going to the gym" for the enormous creatures. He prefers to call the training hooks by the Sanskrit-derived term ankus, meaning "goad," and compares them to dog collars.
"You can't put a big collar and a leash on an elephant, but you can use this little tool," he said. "If you need to tap them with it, you do."
When people interact with animals, there is always a chance something could go wrong, Yamaguchi said. "I've weighed the risks of the elephant ride and I believe they are safe."
The Assn. of Zoos and Aquariums, which accredits the Santa Ana Zoo, does not prohibit elephant rides, but its policy strongly discourages visitor-elephant interactions and asks member zoos to discontinue the rides for public safety reasons.
Association spokesman Steve Feldman dismissed PETA activists as not credible and said Have Trunk Will Travel is certified by the association and meets its "high standards for elephant care and welfare."
"At the Santa Ana Zoo ... and at every AZA-accredited or -certified facility that cares for elephants, highly trained professionals take care of elephants every day," he said. "They are the real experts. And,no one loves elephants more than they do."
Have Trunk Will Travel and its troupe of Asian elephants don't shy away from controversy.
The Discovery Science Center, near the Santa Ana zoo, ditched a 2008 stunt in which an artist planned to surround one of the company's Asian elephants in a giant soap bubble. Activists, supported by Bob Barker, a high-profile animal lover and former host of "The Price is Right" on CBS-TV, had threatened to protest the performance.
An appearance by the same elephant two years before that, in which she was painted in a red and gold pattern to blend into a wallpaper background for a downtown Los Angeles art installation by British artist Banksy, also got the company into hot water with the city's Animal Services Department.
Elsewhere in Orange County, the mere existence of an elephant ride would warrant a crackdown by animal-care authorities.
A decades-old county law prohibits the public from feeding, petting, riding and touching elephants, or even getting within 15 feet of them, out of fear that the creatures might transmit tuberculosis.
But it doesn't cover Santa Ana, where a city ordinance explicitly lets people ride elephants at the zoo.
PETA says it plans to keep demonstrating until the zoo caves.
And no, Charo said she hasn't heard back from the mayor.
Barboza, Tony. "Zoo Defends Its Elephant Rides." Los Angeles Times. 22 Nov 2010: AA.1. SIRS Researcher. Web. 28 Feb 2011.
Week of February 22-25: Read the article at the bottom of this assignment post. Then, answer the following question. What is the problem in the article? Was the solution effective? SUPPORT your answer with TWO pieces of text evidence.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the problem, two pieces of text evidence EXPLAINING the solution and its effectiveness, and a concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how this solution has helped people.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
SUPER SNIFFER
In some countries in Africa, giant rats are saving lives. The rats have a great sense of smell. A company trains them to sniff out bombs called land mines that are buried underground.
The rats are 30 inches long, including their tails. But they don't weigh much, so they don't set off the bombs. When a rat finds a bomb, it points to the bomb with its nose. Then a human trainer gets rid of the bomb safely so that no one is hurt. In just 20 minutes, a rat can check a lot of land for bombs. Without a trained rat, a human would need two days to check the same area. FROM: Scholastic ACTION Magazine. March 7, 2011 issue.
Week of February 14-18: Read the article that I have attached at the bottom of this assignment post. Then, answer the following question. How did the "Mid-Day Meal Scheme" affect children in India? Make sure to EXPLAIN at LEAST TWO positive effects.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining WHY there needed to be a lunch program, two pieces of text evidence EXPLAINING positive effects, and a concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how the lunch program affected students.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
*Several of you couldn't open the file, so I pasted the material below.
Week of February 7-11: Find an article online, in a magazine, or in the newspaper, and summarize the article you read.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence with the MAIN IDEA followed by IMPORTANT supporting details. Think of WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of January 31-February 4: Previewing the text is crucial in order to gain a better understanding of what someone WILL read. Find an article online, in a magazine, or in the newspaper, and PREVIEW the article BEFORE you read. On the wiki, explain AT LEAST TWO text features that you used to PREDICT what the text would be about.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the text features you used, two pieces of text evidence (features) followed by an explanation of WHAT that text feature allowed you to predict, and a concluding sentence explaining if your prediction was accurate and WHY.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about the text features and how they help you gain a deeper understanding of what you are going to read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of January 24-28: Pay attention to advertisements that are all around you. Tell the class about an advertisement that persuaded you. How were you influenced by this advertisement? ALSO, how has this unit made you think differently about propaganda and advertising?
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the advertisement and how it persuaded and influenced you, two pieces of text evidence, and a concluding sentence explaining how you NOW think about advertising and propaganda.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how propaganda persuades you and how you are more aware of propaganda.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of January 17-21: Pay attention to advertisements that are all around you. Tell the class about an advertisement that stood out to you. Why did it appeal to you? What propaganda technique/s were used? Explain the techniques.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the advertisement and why it stood out to you, an explanation of the technique/s used and why you believe it to be the technique you decided, and a concluding sentence explaining how the ad persuaded you.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how propaganda persuades you.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of January 10-15: While you read, pay attention to clues that develop a theme. If you are not at the end of your book, write about the theme in a previous book.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the theme, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains the theme and how this theme can influence your future behavior.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world and/or yourself?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of December 13-17: While you read, pay attention to the point of view from which the story is told. What point of view is your story told from? WHY is this the most effective point of view?
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the point of view and WHY it is effective, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how the point of view effects the story ideas and characters.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of December 6-10: While you read, pay attention to your mood. What mood does the text evoke in you?
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the mood, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your mood and new understanding can affect your life temporarily or change your life forever.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, plot, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of November 29-December 3: Explain a major conflict in your reading selection. Prove that it is a major conflict and describe how the character/s are affected.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the conflict, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your character/s were affected by the conflict.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, plot, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of November 22-23 NO WIKI OR SEED NOTEBOOKS DUE! HAVE A SAFE, RELAXING, AND JOYOUS FALL BREAK!!!!!
Week of November 15-19 DIRECTIONS: Paraphrase part of your reading for this week. The selection you paraphrase must be at LEAST 4 sentences. On the Wiki, first write the part of the text you read that you are paraphrasing. Then, write down the paraphrased text.
Week of November 8-12 DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are connecting to ANOTHER PIECE OF TEXT while you read. Remember that connecting is when you read something that relates or connects to a personal experience, a world issue or idea, or another piece of text. I want you to CONNECT TO TEXT this week.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your TEXT-TO-TEXT connection, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your connection helped you learn more about the characters, world, plot, setting, theme...
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, plot, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of November 1-5 DIRECTIONS: Tell me about how a character in your book is a good person. Remember to give TWO examples of how the character is a good person. Think about what he or she says, does, thinks, or what other characters say about the character.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining WHY the character is a good person (a characteristic maybe), two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how the character has taught you how to be a better person.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about yourself or the world?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of October 24-29 DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response on ANY of the reading strategies you have learned this year!
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your strategy, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your strategy helped you learn more about the characters, setting, theme, or world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of October 17-21 DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are inferring while you read. Remember that inferring means combining what the text says with what you already know about a topic or idea in order to form a deeper understanding of the text.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your inference, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your inference helped you learn more about the characters, setting, theme, or world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of October 11-15 DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are connecting to the WORLD while you read. Remember that connecting is when you read something that relates or connects to a personal experience, a world issue or idea, or another piece of text.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your WORLD connection, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your connection helped you learn more about the world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of October 4-8 DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are predicting while you read. Remember that predicting means thinking about what MIGHT happen NEXT.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your prediction, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your prediction helped you learn more about the characters, setting, theme, or world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of September 27-30 DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are inferring while you read. Remember that inferring means combining what the text says with what you already know about a topic or idea in order to form a deeper understanding of the text.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your inference, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your inference helped you learn more about the characters, setting, theme, or world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of September 20-24 DIRECTIONS: Write a 3 sentence summary over your reading. USE YOUR NOTES FOR HELP!!!!!
I will grade you on following:
1. Sentence 1:
- Person- 1 point
- Place- 1 point
- Problem- 1 point
2. Sentence 2:
- How the character attempts to solve the problem OR how the character begins to notice change.- 1 point
3. Sentence 3:
- How the problem was solved OR how the character changed.- 1 point
4. OTHER
- Logical Flow- 1 point
- Conventions; spelling- 1 point
Week of September 13-17 DIRECTIONS: NO READING RESPONSE BECAUSE OF TESTING!!!!!
Week of September 7-10 DIRECTIONS: Write a 3 sentence summary over your reading. USE YOUR NOTES FOR HELP!!!!!
I will grade you on following:
1. Sentence 1:
- Person- 1 point
- Place- 1 point
- Problem- 1 point
2. Sentence 2:
- How the character attempts to solve the problem OR how the character begins to notice change.- 1 point
3. Sentence 3:
- How the problem was solved OR how the character changed.- 1 point
4. OTHER
- Logical Flow- 1 point
- Conventions; spelling- 1 point
Weeks of August 23-27 and August 29-September 3 ANSWER: WHAT READING STRATEGIES DID YOU USE DURING READING? HOW DID THE STRATEGY HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE TEXT OR WORLD? USE TWO PIECES OF TEXT EVIDENCE.
I will grade your responses based on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Below is an outline and EXAMPLE you can use as you construct your homework response.
REMEMBER TO READ AT LEAST 60 MINUTES EVERY WEEK IN YOUR SSR BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LAST WIKI!!!!!!
Week of May 2-6: While you read, pay attention to the settings in your story. What are two settings that impact the plot or a character? Support your ideas with text evidence.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: AT LEAST four sentences with all ideas supported by text evidence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of April 25-29: While you read, pay attention to the protagonist in your story. What are two characteristics that define the main character? Support your ideas with text evidence. In your concluding sentence, explain how these characteristics help your character solve problems.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: AT LEAST four sentences with all ideas supported by text evidence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of April 18-22: While you read, pay attention to the point of view from which the story is told. What point of view is your story told from? Choose a character to tell a main idea in the story. How would this difference affect the plot?
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: AT LEAST four sentences explaining the point of view and how the plot would change.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
April 11-17: NO WIKI BECAUSE OF MAP TESTING!
April 4-10: NO WIKI BECAUSE OF SPEECH!
March 28-April 1
DIRECTIONS: Write a 3 sentence summary over your reading. USE YOUR NOTES FOR HELP!!!!!
I will grade you on following:
1. Sentence 1:
- Person- 1 point
- Place- 1 point
- Problem- 1 point
2. Sentence 2:
- How the character attempts to solve the problem OR how the character begins to notice change.- 1 point
3. Sentence 3:
- How the problem was solved OR how the character changed.- 1 point
4. OTHER
- Logical Flow- 1 point
- Conventions; spelling- 1 point
Week of March 14-18: Read the article at the bottom of this assignment post. Summarize in THREE sentences the main ideas of the article. Make sure to include the author's viewpoint in your topic sentence.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: Three sentences explaining the person, place, problem and author's viewpoint. How was the problem solved and was it effective? DON'T USE SPECIFIC TEXT EVIDENCE IN A SUMMARY!
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, MO) Jul 11, 2010, p. E.1 Copyright © Jul 11, 2010 Pulitzer Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
Less Loitering, More Buying
By Kavita Kumar
• Many malls that have adopted teen curfews point to higher sales as proof of success.
The Borders at Mid Rivers Mall used to be crawling with teenagers on Friday nights - teens playing in the elevators, hanging out on the staircase, and sometimes even making out in nooks and crannies throughout the bookstore.
"You would have really gotten the impression that we were busy with sales, but that was not the case," said Brendan Cody, the store manager. "We were busy with people in terms of traffic, but it was lots of people playing with friends and not really spending money."
But that suddenly changed on May 28, when the mall implemented a youth escort policy. Since then, Friday nights in the store have become much quieter and calmer - and sales have actually inched up. While there may be fewer people in the store now, the ones who are there are actually buying, he added.
It's hard to pinpoint how much the teen curfew contributed to increased sales, Cody acknowledged. But he remembers a lot of complaints from customers who said they wouldn't shop there on weekend nights because of the rowdiness and profanity of some teenagers.
It may seem that shopping centers would be hurting themselves by banning unescorted teenagers on weekend nights. After all, the central corridors of malls are lined with stores - Aeropostale, Pacific Sunwear, Hot Topic, Hollister, and Abercrombie & Fitch - that cater to this age group.
But in the last 10 to 15 years, a small but growing number of malls around the country have begun to institute teen curfews to crack down on unruly groups of teens that deter families from shopping.
Curfews are potentially risky for malls at a time when they are struggling, and with weekends being the busiest shopping times. But many malls that have gone to the curfews say they are pleased by the results - and point to higher sales numbers as proof of success.
The International Council of Shopping Centers has identified 64 out of 1,417 shopping malls that have youth escort policies. "Initially they may see a dip (in sales), but then it comes back," said Jesse Tron, a council spokesman. "I've heard others say that right away it's been a boon to sales."
Mid Rivers in St. Peters is the fourth mall in the St. Louis region to institute a youth escort policy. Since May 28, teenagers under the age of 18 have to be with a parent or adult to be in Mid Rivers past 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Mall officials assert the new policy is having an immediate impact on visitors, with many retailers already seeing a lift in sales numbers.
In June, the first full month under the curfew, overall mall traffic was up 7 percent from the previous June - and up 5 percent on Friday and Saturday nights. And sales are up 3 to 10 percent in all categories, including teen-oriented retailers, according to CBL & Associates Properties, the company that owns Mid Rivers.
By comparison, mall traffic in May went up just 1 percent over the previous year and sales were flat. And nationally, U.S. chain stores posted a 3 percent year-over-year gain in same-store sales in June, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.
"There could be other factors" contributing to the positive June numbers, said Kurt Bohlmann, the general manager for Mid Rivers. "But just comparing last year to this year, it definitely stands out to us that traffic and sales are up following the implementation of youth escort policy."
CBL also owns West County Center, St. Clair Square, South County Center and Chesterfield malls. It has no plans to implement youth escort policies in those local shopping centers because rowdy teens haven't been an issue at those locations.
Other Malls Benefit
St. Louis Mills was the first mall in the region to go the curfew route in November 2006. St. Louis Galleria and Jamestown Mall followed suit the next year.
When St. Louis Mills decided to implement the policy, David Reed, the mall's general manager, told merchants they might experience a temporary sales decline. "But we found an immediate increase in sales," Reed said. "It was a little surprising that the majority of teen retailers immediately saw an increase, too."
Reed's explanation is that the more comfortable shopping environment drew more shoppers to the mall who might have otherwise been hesitant to come out on weekend nights. Teens are still welcome during most of the week, or if they come with their parents, he added.
"Teens have a lot of disposable income," Reed said. "So do their parents. If you're here shopping with your parents, that can increase your purchases."
But Robert Buchanan, assistant professor of finance at St. Louis University, is skeptical that teen curfews are good for sales in the long run.
"To suggest that it increases business sounds like a stretch to me," he said. "You have to be very careful in looking at sales numbers and making sure you're comparing apples to apples. There could be a million reasons why. It could be the weather."
Malls are hurting for business because their rent structure is high and retailers are passing along those costs to shoppers in the form of high prices, he said.
"So they really have to be careful in putting into effect a new restrictive policy like a curfew," Buchanan said. "I think there's a reason why the vast majority of malls in the United States don't have a teen curfew and it's because they don't want to discourage business. "
Teen-focused retailers are not complaining about the curfews - at least not yet.
"Curfews have not affected us - positive or negative," Betsy McLaughlin, the chief executive of Hot Topic, wrote in an e-mail. "So we are neutral on the subject."
And a spokesperson for clothing chain American Eagle Outfitters said the company does not have a strong position for or against curfews.
Plan Nine, a skateboard shop at Mid Rivers Mall, used to be a popular teen hangout on Friday nights. "A lot of kids are like, 'You're probably going out of business because of the curfew,'" said Tim Newsham, a manager who was working a recent Friday night when the store was mostly empty. "But it's like, 'Um, not really.'"
Sales have not been affected by the new policy, he said. If anything has changed, it's that the store is doing more business during the day, which makes up for the lighter sales at night, he said.
Before the curfew, even though there would sometimes be 30 teenagers in the store at night, only a couple of them would end up buying something.
"And sometimes all they would get is a Red Bull," Newsham said.
Not all merchants are happy. Keith Foy, who has a cell phone skin kiosk in the mall, hasn't calculated how his sales have been affected by the curfew. But he doesn't like it.
Teenagers wouldn't necessarily buy his wares on weekend nights, but they would sometimes come back with their parents the following week to make a purchase, he said.
And he complains that the curfew age is set too high. Many 16- and 17-year-olds "have jobs and they have money to spend," he said.
To lure families back to the mall on weekend nights, Mid Rivers has been running various promotions, including one that allows children to eat free on Friday nights at some food court outlets if their parents buy certain food items.
That drew Tonya and Scott Service of St. Peters and two of their children to the mall. They used to avoid the mall on weekend nights, she said, especially after hearing teenagers cursing loudly in stores on previous visits. "My kids would say, 'Mom, did you hear that?'" she said.
She and her family planned to look around some stores while they were there. Pleased by the new atmosphere in the mall, they were already making plans for a return visit another night.
Week of March 7-11: Read the article attached at the bottom of this assignment post. What are the two differing viewpoints on a drug that can erase memories? SUPPORT your answer with TWO pieces of text evidence (ONE for each side). THEN, what do you think? Support your stance with TWO pieces of text evidence. Your post this week should be TWO PARAGRAPHS.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining authors' viewpoint on the issue, two pieces of text evidence SUPPORTING EACH of the authors' viewpoint, and a concluding sentence. THEN a SEPARATE paragraph with a topic sentence explaining your position, two sentences with text evidence supporting your viewpoint, and a concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of February 28-March 4: Read the article at the bottom of this assignment post. Then, answer the following question. What is the author's viewpoint on elephant rides? SUPPORT your answer with TWO pieces of text evidence.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the problem and the author's viewpoint on the issue, two pieces of text evidence SUPPORTING the author's viewpoint, and a concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how this viewpoint is biased.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA) Nov 22, 2010, p. AA.1 Copyright © Los Angeles Times. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
Zoo Defends Its Elephant Rides
It's a Santa Ana tradition, but PETA wants the practice stopped
By Tony Barboza
The Santa Ana Zoo is one of only a handful in the nation that still offer elephant rides.
For more than 25 years, children -- and some grown-ups -- have turned out by the hundreds to ride on the back of an 8,000-pound Asian elephant as it trudges around a shaded, circular enclosure near its Monkey Row exhibit.
Although others have bowed to pressure from animal welfare advocates who oppose once-popular elephant rides as cruel to the animals and dangerous to the public, zookeepers in Santa Ana are rushing to their defense.
Animal activists set their sights on the zoo last year and have intensified their opposition since the ride opened for the season last month. Since Oct. 8, they have picketed outside the city zoo on weekends and urged visitors to boycott the old-school attraction.
Last week, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals raised the stakes by enlisting stage performer Charo, who wrote to Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, asking him to ban the rides.
The group contends that the rides are not possible without cruel training methods.
"I have spent my career entertaining people, but there is nothing remotely entertaining about hurting elephants," Charo wrote.
Zoo Director Kent Yamaguchi brushed aside activists' claims that the rides are abusive or unsafe and said they will continue because he is confident the animals are well cared for and that care-givers use the strictest safety guidelines and most humane training methods.
If there were any evidence of mistreatment, he said, he would end the rides immediately.
Besides, he said, the rides are such an educational experience that once riders step down from the creatures' massive shoulders, they often become their biggest admirers and advocates.
"You can't ride these animals without being struck by their power and their majesty," Yamaguchi said. "The main reason we have the ride is to educate people about what these animals are all about ... and that's why zoos are around: to be able to give people that close relationship with the animals."
The small zoo's stance on the rides makes it a rare holdout at a time when most zoos shun human-elephant interaction.
The San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, for instance, did away with its elephant rides in 1990, when it adopted a "protected contact" training method that bars anyone -- even zookeepers -- from being in the same enclosure as an elephant.
The Los Angeles Zoo, which eliminated elephant rides more than 20 years ago, follows the same policy, as does the Oakland Zoo.
The Santa Ana Zoo, perhaps best known for its mandate to house at least 50 monkeys at all times, doesn't have its own live-in elephants.
Instead, it hires them from Have Trunk Will Travel, a Perris-based operation whose trained elephants are rented out for fairs and corporate parties and appear in television commercials and films.
The $5 ride is offered on weekends from October to May, when the elephants are on their off-season from giving rides on the busy county fair circuit.
Opponents say the ride exploits the elephants, puts visitors at risk of being trampled and clashes with the zoo's mission of animal care and conservation.
"By providing elephant rides, the Santa Ana Zoo is acting more like a circus than an accredited zoo," said Lisa Wathne, PETA's captive exotic animal specialist.
Elephants submit to being ridden, Wathne said, only because of the threat of being prodded with a bull hook, a training tool she likens to a fireplace poker.
Yamaguchi says carrying passengers is healthy exercise and mental stimulation for the elephants. "It's like going to the gym" for the enormous creatures. He prefers to call the training hooks by the Sanskrit-derived term ankus, meaning "goad," and compares them to dog collars.
"You can't put a big collar and a leash on an elephant, but you can use this little tool," he said. "If you need to tap them with it, you do."
When people interact with animals, there is always a chance something could go wrong, Yamaguchi said. "I've weighed the risks of the elephant ride and I believe they are safe."
The Assn. of Zoos and Aquariums, which accredits the Santa Ana Zoo, does not prohibit elephant rides, but its policy strongly discourages visitor-elephant interactions and asks member zoos to discontinue the rides for public safety reasons.
Association spokesman Steve Feldman dismissed PETA activists as not credible and said Have Trunk Will Travel is certified by the association and meets its "high standards for elephant care and welfare."
"At the Santa Ana Zoo ... and at every AZA-accredited or -certified facility that cares for elephants, highly trained professionals take care of elephants every day," he said. "They are the real experts. And,no one loves elephants more than they do."
Have Trunk Will Travel and its troupe of Asian elephants don't shy away from controversy.
The Discovery Science Center, near the Santa Ana zoo, ditched a 2008 stunt in which an artist planned to surround one of the company's Asian elephants in a giant soap bubble. Activists, supported by Bob Barker, a high-profile animal lover and former host of "The Price is Right" on CBS-TV, had threatened to protest the performance.
An appearance by the same elephant two years before that, in which she was painted in a red and gold pattern to blend into a wallpaper background for a downtown Los Angeles art installation by British artist Banksy, also got the company into hot water with the city's Animal Services Department.
Elsewhere in Orange County, the mere existence of an elephant ride would warrant a crackdown by animal-care authorities.
A decades-old county law prohibits the public from feeding, petting, riding and touching elephants, or even getting within 15 feet of them, out of fear that the creatures might transmit tuberculosis.
But it doesn't cover Santa Ana, where a city ordinance explicitly lets people ride elephants at the zoo.
PETA says it plans to keep demonstrating until the zoo caves.
And no, Charo said she hasn't heard back from the mayor.
Barboza, Tony. "Zoo Defends Its Elephant Rides." Los Angeles Times. 22 Nov 2010: AA.1. SIRS Researcher. Web. 28 Feb 2011.
Week of February 22-25: Read the article at the bottom of this assignment post. Then, answer the following question. What is the problem in the article? Was the solution effective? SUPPORT your answer with TWO pieces of text evidence.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the problem, two pieces of text evidence EXPLAINING the solution and its effectiveness, and a concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how this solution has helped people.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
SUPER SNIFFER
In some countries in Africa, giant rats are saving lives. The rats have a great sense of smell. A company trains them to sniff out bombs called land mines that are buried underground.
The rats are 30 inches long, including their tails. But they don't weigh much, so they don't set off the bombs. When a rat finds a bomb, it points to the bomb with its nose. Then a human trainer gets rid of the bomb safely so that no one is hurt. In just 20 minutes, a rat can check a lot of land for bombs. Without a trained rat, a human would need two days to check the same area.
FROM: Scholastic ACTION Magazine. March 7, 2011 issue.
Week of February 14-18: Read the article that I have attached at the bottom of this assignment post. Then, answer the following question. How did the "Mid-Day Meal Scheme" affect children in India? Make sure to EXPLAIN at LEAST TWO positive effects.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining WHY there needed to be a lunch program, two pieces of text evidence EXPLAINING positive effects, and a concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how the lunch program affected students.
4. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of February 7-11: Find an article online, in a magazine, or in the newspaper, and summarize the article you read.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence with the MAIN IDEA followed by IMPORTANT supporting details. Think of WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of January 31-February 4: Previewing the text is crucial in order to gain a better understanding of what someone WILL read. Find an article online, in a magazine, or in the newspaper, and PREVIEW the article BEFORE you read. On the wiki, explain AT LEAST TWO text features that you used to PREDICT what the text would be about.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the text features you used, two pieces of text evidence (features) followed by an explanation of WHAT that text feature allowed you to predict, and a concluding sentence explaining if your prediction was accurate and WHY.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about the text features and how they help you gain a deeper understanding of what you are going to read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of January 24-28: Pay attention to advertisements that are all around you. Tell the class about an advertisement that persuaded you. How were you influenced by this advertisement? ALSO, how has this unit made you think differently about propaganda and advertising?
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the advertisement and how it persuaded and influenced you, two pieces of text evidence, and a concluding sentence explaining how you NOW think about advertising and propaganda.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how propaganda persuades you and how you are more aware of propaganda.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of January 17-21: Pay attention to advertisements that are all around you. Tell the class about an advertisement that stood out to you. Why did it appeal to you? What propaganda technique/s were used? Explain the techniques.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the advertisement and why it stood out to you, an explanation of the technique/s used and why you believe it to be the technique you decided, and a concluding sentence explaining how the ad persuaded you.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about how propaganda persuades you.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of January 10-15: While you read, pay attention to clues that develop a theme. If you are not at the end of your book, write about the theme in a previous book.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the theme, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains the theme and how this theme can influence your future behavior.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world and/or yourself?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of December 13-17: While you read, pay attention to the point of view from which the story is told. What point of view is your story told from? WHY is this the most effective point of view?
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the point of view and WHY it is effective, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how the point of view effects the story ideas and characters.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read.
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of December 6-10: While you read, pay attention to your mood. What mood does the text evoke in you?
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the mood, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your mood and new understanding can affect your life temporarily or change your life forever.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, plot, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of November 29-December 3: Explain a major conflict in your reading selection. Prove that it is a major conflict and describe how the character/s are affected.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining the conflict, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your character/s were affected by the conflict.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, plot, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of November 22-23 NO WIKI OR SEED NOTEBOOKS DUE! HAVE A SAFE, RELAXING, AND JOYOUS FALL BREAK!!!!!
Week of November 15-19
DIRECTIONS: Paraphrase part of your reading for this week. The selection you paraphrase must be at LEAST 4 sentences. On the Wiki, first write the part of the text you read that you are paraphrasing. Then, write down the paraphrased text.
Week of November 8-12
DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are connecting to ANOTHER PIECE OF TEXT while you read. Remember that connecting is when you read something that relates or connects to a personal experience, a world issue or idea, or another piece of text. I want you to CONNECT TO TEXT this week.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your TEXT-TO-TEXT connection, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your connection helped you learn more about the characters, world, plot, setting, theme...
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, plot, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of November 1-5
DIRECTIONS: Tell me about how a character in your book is a good person. Remember to give TWO examples of how the character is a good person. Think about what he or she says, does, thinks, or what other characters say about the character.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining WHY the character is a good person (a characteristic maybe), two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how the character has taught you how to be a better person.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about yourself or the world?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of October 24-29
DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response on ANY of the reading strategies you have learned this year!
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your strategy, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your strategy helped you learn more about the characters, setting, theme, or world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of October 17-21
DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are inferring while you read. Remember that inferring means combining what the text says with what you already know about a topic or idea in order to form a deeper understanding of the text.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your inference, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your inference helped you learn more about the characters, setting, theme, or world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of October 11-15
DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are connecting to the WORLD while you read. Remember that connecting is when you read something that relates or connects to a personal experience, a world issue or idea, or another piece of text.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your WORLD connection, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your connection helped you learn more about the world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of October 4-8
DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are predicting while you read. Remember that predicting means thinking about what MIGHT happen NEXT.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your prediction, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your prediction helped you learn more about the characters, setting, theme, or world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of September 27-30
DIRECTIONS: Write a reading response showing that you are inferring while you read. Remember that inferring means combining what the text says with what you already know about a topic or idea in order to form a deeper understanding of the text.
I will grade you on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence explaining your inference, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence that explains how your inference helped you learn more about the characters, setting, theme, or world.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Week of September 20-24
DIRECTIONS: Write a 3 sentence summary over your reading. USE YOUR NOTES FOR HELP!!!!!
I will grade you on following:
1. Sentence 1:
- Person- 1 point
- Place- 1 point
- Problem- 1 point
2. Sentence 2:
- How the character attempts to solve the problem OR how the character begins to notice change.- 1 point
3. Sentence 3:
- How the problem was solved OR how the character changed.- 1 point
4. OTHER
- Logical Flow- 1 point
- Conventions; spelling- 1 point
Week of September 13-17
DIRECTIONS: NO READING RESPONSE BECAUSE OF TESTING!!!!!
Week of September 7-10
DIRECTIONS: Write a 3 sentence summary over your reading. USE YOUR NOTES FOR HELP!!!!!
I will grade you on following:
1. Sentence 1:
- Person- 1 point
- Place- 1 point
- Problem- 1 point
2. Sentence 2:
- How the character attempts to solve the problem OR how the character begins to notice change.- 1 point
3. Sentence 3:
- How the problem was solved OR how the character changed.- 1 point
4. OTHER
- Logical Flow- 1 point
- Conventions; spelling- 1 point
Weeks of August 23-27 and August 29-September 3
ANSWER: WHAT READING STRATEGIES DID YOU USE DURING READING? HOW DID THE STRATEGY HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE TEXT OR WORLD?
USE TWO PIECES OF TEXT EVIDENCE.
I will grade your responses based on the following:
1. STRUCTURE: topic sentence, two pieces of text evidence, concluding sentence.
2. MAIN IDEA: the main idea you discuss is evident or clear throughout the entire response and is in a logical order.
2. CONCLUDING SENTENCE: shows that you are thinking critically about what you read. What did you learn about the world, character/s, setting, theme?
3. CONVENTIONS: proper spelling and punctuation
Below is an outline and EXAMPLE you can use as you construct your homework response.